People sometimes make the mistake of thinking that every business makes money, will keep making money and has lots of money laying around. They forget about our dynamic economy, in which things can change fast. They forget about the rising expenses or fresh competition that businesses face. They forget about investments businesses must make to remain relevant.

Some workers may believe their employers are taking advantage of them, not paying them enough, depriving them of benefits, etc. While we have no doubt that there are some unscrupulous companies, we believe most businesses value their workers. In this day and age, there is a great demand for labor, with many jobs remaining unfilled. Businesses mistreat quality workers at their own peril.

We note all this for two reasons: the state Legislature is in session and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce would like lawmakers to remember that businesses are the engine that powers the state. This is true in terms of the goods and services they provide, the jobs they create and the tax revenue that flows from them to state and local governments.

The Chamber has a five-point agenda that we believe can be boiled down to an important point: businesses would like lawmakers to listen, really listen to what it means to keep that economic engine fine-tuned. High taxes, burdensome mandates and hurdles not faced by businesses in other states all harm businesses in Minnesota. These obstacles hurt the ability of our businesses to expand, hire, invest and to compete, both within U.S. borders and abroad.

We hope state lawmakers and the governor work to adopt the changes the Chamber seeks. It’s an agenda of value for all.